


The Long Road Home

by fuIImetal



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Chronic Fatigue Ling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Multi, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-13 14:03:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14113923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuIImetal/pseuds/fuIImetal
Summary: What does Ling do with the sudden loss of two very important figures in his life? Not to mention the experience of going through so many changes in under a year. How can he adjust back to his normal life after all of this? How can anyone, really?A Ling centric exploration of the events post-canon, with my take on what should have happened after the Day of Promise. Will probably also cover most of the main FMAB cast and what they do after as well.





	The Long Road Home

**Author's Note:**

> henlo everyone........? owo 
> 
> Ok im so sorry. Hi this is my first longer project I am taking the initiative to write. As someone with PTSD I think a lot about how the events of fmab affect all of the characters in a lasting way, and I really love Ling so this story will be focusing on his issues. Eventually I might make some other one shots in this same post canon take I have...? just focusing on other characters like Roy and Riza, or Scar. I don't want to spoil my plans for everyone's lives and actions post series, but just know Honey, You Have a Big Storm Coming.
> 
> For a little bit of context: I headcanon Ling as having chronic fatigue as well as some other physical health issues, which Greed's regenerative abilities rendered null, but without them Ling is back to dealing with the effects of it which is why he needs a hospital check up. 
> 
> As for the timeline, its a little bit divergent from how brotherhood progresses. I believe Ling and Greed probably spent about six months isolated from the rest of the protags after becoming Greedling. Thats a looooot of time to only have like 5 people to talk to. From the time Ling meets Ed to the day of promise, im thinking its a little less than a year.
> 
> I'll stop rambling now but feel to leave thoughts and feedback! also yall people who ship weird ships please dont be fucking nasty in the comments for my comfort, thank you.

“Hey Greed. Is this what you meant when you were talking about obtaining the whole world?” The world was dark around him, but Ling could hear his own voice clear as day as he spoke into the empty space.

“Yeah. Once I get that, everything in the world will be mine! That just might fill the emptiness inside me! It could quench the thirst that I’ve had ever since I was born!” Greed said now, his voice so familiar, so boastful.

“How sordid of you, Greed. What you really want is something else.” Ling could feel himself shaking his head in exasperation.

“Keep quiet, you little pissant… I am Greed the Avaricious! Whatever I want I get!” A silence followed that seemed to last hours, like time was constricting around him and slowing.

“Greed… What you actually wanted so badly… is this, right?” Ling finally managed.

“Yeah. You’re right. What I wanted… was-” 

But with a flash, the darkness was gone, and there they were with Father’s hand jammed deep into their abdomen, tearing the life right out of their body. It happened so fast Ling hardly had time to process it. 

Ling couldn't move, it was an agonizing feeling, one as if his entire soul was being torn apart and stretched to the limit. Greed was there, shouting at him and Ling was trying so hard to reach for his friend and hold his grasp; But with each second, his grip was weakening as his body dissolved. He felt greed tugging and tugging but the force dragging him away was just too much. Ling didn’t have the strength to keep holding on. Almost in shock, Greed slipped out of his hands and Ling felt himself being pulled backwards and out of their shared body. So many souls were swirling past him with together into the whirlpool of agony that Father housed. With a sinking feeling of horror and helplessness, Ling could do nothing but call out for his dear friend as he felt himself falling to his death; Any second and his life would be over.

“Greed..!” His friend had to come to his aide, surely he wouldn’t let him just die like this, Ling thought. “Greed! Greed-”

Ling awoke with a jolt, shooting up like bullet. He had sweat through his clothes and was shaking badly as he quickly surveyed his soundings. Lan Fan, dozing on the nearby chair, also woke with a start as she sensed the commotion. 

“Young Lord..!” She gasped, startled by his sudden movements. It took her half a second to notice what was wrong and she quickly stumbled to his side. 

“Young Lord, what happened, what is the matter??” she asked, genuine concern and care coloring her voice, and bent over to examine him more closely. 

It took Ling another few moments to orientate himself and calm to the point where he could speak. He reached out and clutched Lan Fan’s hand in his own for support, gripping tightly and taking another deep breath. The sensation of drowning was still fresh in his mind and he needed a lifeline. 

“Just… Just a dream.” Ling stated. It was half to assure himself that he was safe and half to let Lan Fan know what had happened. An understanding look crossed her face and she moved in closer, settling down on the edge of the hospital bed. It was a small room, one that housed another sleeping patient on the other side of a thin screen. Between the coup and Father’s assault on central, there had been many casualties and even more injured. Lan Fan had originally rejected the idea of a hospital stay, but Ling really did need a health evaluation now that he didn’t have a homunculus’ powers keeping his body well. 

“I see… Would you like to talk about it?” She asked gently after a moment. Lan Fan could be so kind. But with the day of promise so recent at hand, Ling didn’t know if he had it in him to talk just yet. It was far too soon and he was still so confused, struggling to process it himself. He shook his head. 

“That's alright. I can stay with you if you need me to?” It was an offer. He found himself nodding and moving over to make room for her next to him. Lan Fan had her own bed in another part of the hospital of course, one in the small wing specializing in care for patients with automail. However she wouldn’t hear a word of being separated from her charge and snuck back to be with him the moment the doctors and nurses had let her be. 

Ling felt himself swallow a lump of shame down his throat. It was only his first night of rest and his hell brain had already decided against letting him have even a few hours of sleep. How was he supposed to become the emperor of Xing when he couldn’t even push his fears away? He wasn’t sure if he could even fall asleep again, but at least with Lan Fan there he felt a bit safer. 

It took a while for Ling to get sleepy again. Lan Fan lay still with her arm around him, and Ling occupied the time and his idle hands with picking at the threads on the sheets. He looked across and studied his lifelong companion. Even breaths, bruises and small cuts here and there, hair in need of a trim, and a calm and measured look on her face. At this point, Ling couldn’t tell if she was sleeping or awake. 

Since childhood, the two had been the closest of friends. Sure, Lan Fan was supposed to strictly be his bodyguard, but growing up inseparable had also set the foundations for a deep friendship. Running around and playing pranks on the stuffy adults, training together taught by Fu, years and years of secrets and gossip shared, the list went on and on. She had always been there for him in the past, and this time was no different. Ling supposed, as he closed his eyes and Lan Fan wrapped her arm around him, that if he pretended hard enough it would be just like back then.

* * *

By the time Ling woke next morning, Lan Fan was nowhere to be seen. It didn’t phase him too terribly, after all there were things to do and people to talk to, as well as doctors to placate. It was early, and though he yearned for rest, he knew nothing but more restlessness awaited him if he tried to sleep again. Aside from that, the hustle and bustle of the hospital was already so alive that he wouldn’t even be able to rest if he tried!

A nurse must have noticed him wake, because the next thing he knew he was being poked and prodded by medical instruments and asked all sorts of questions.  
Did you sustain any head trauma in any violent altercations? When was the last time you had a substantial meal? Do you have any pre-existing conditions that may need follow up treatment? Any unusual changes in physiology? 

The bombardment was almost overwhelming, but thankfully it was over as quickly as it started. Ling had sustained minimal injuries thanks to Greed’s regenerative power, and the doctors were eager to move on with the rest of their business. With the doctors and Lan Fan gone, Ling found himself hit with a feeling of painful loneliness. Standing up and pulling on a loose hospital issued jacket, Ling resolved to find his friends Ed and Alphonse. 

After defeating Father, he knew the two of them had been rushed to one of Central’s many hospitals for some much needed urgent care. Ling had hardly seen them since, but he knew what wing the two were in. Edward’s injuries were completely different than Alphonse’s condition, and while Ed would have been staying in a completely different ward, Ling had the feeling that the teen would never let himself be separated from Alphonse for that long, especially with Al finally back in his own body. It should be no trouble finding one with the other.

It took some asking around, busy nurses bustling past him with hardly any acknowledgement, but in no time Ling finally arrived at the room the boys were said to be; 396c. Pushing down his nerves, he stepped inside.

Just as he suspected, both of his friends were there, Ed sitting up on a bed adjacent to Al’s, with the latter laying down to rest, but awake. Both looked up and grinned widely upon seeing him. They were surprisingly lively despite their injuries. 

“Ling! There you are!! I was wondering when you were gonna finally show your face again, you bastard!” Edward exclaimed, getting up to go over and hug Ling. The two shared a brief embrace - Ling did not want to hurt Ed’s newly restored arm - and headed further inside to greet Al. The younger Elric couldn’t give Ling the same kind of hug, but he did grin broadly. 

“Ling, its so good to see you again. Ed was such acting like such a goofus, missing you all morning. You were gone for so long before, and we only did just get you back after all!” There was a light tone of humor in Al’s voice that Ling didn’t miss. 

“Hey now, shouldn't you be saying that about yourself Al?” Ling retorted, but returned the grin nonetheless and settled down on the edge of the bed next to Edward. “Did either of you two manage to get any rest?” 

Ed snorted. 

“You really think we’d be able to sleep an ounce after all that fucked up shit that just happened? Not to mention.. My arm hurts like a bitch.” Ed said, and Alphonse nodded sheepishly, agreeing. 

“Yeah. Not only that but you wouldn’t believe how much stuff is already messing with my senses. Going from zero to one-hundred in a second is a lot to get readjusted to.” Alphonse gestured to the cheap hospital sheets: they must have been pretty grating to sleep on.

“I totally get it.” Ling said, sighing. He could already feel fatigue starting to creep over his sore body. “I only got a few hours of sleep too.” 

“At least you probably didn’t have to deal with stupid nurses coming in and out of the room all night checking your vitals.” Ed scoffed. “I swear every time i did manage to drift asleep these guys were checking the circulation of my arm or giving Al more medicine!” 

Ling reclined and shrugged. 

“Guess that’s just how it is here in these Amestrian hospitals. In Xing, healthcare is much more efficient, I dunno how you guys deal without Alkahestry...” He teased. 

The conversation slowed for a few minutes, Al speaking up to ask a few questions about Alkahestry and it’s uses in general, but Ling wasn’t an expert so there wasn’t much to tell. Eventually the three boys sat in a comfortable but understanding silence. They had all gone through a lot in such a short time, and it was almost unbelievable that it was over after so much buildup. 

“How’s Lan Fan?” Al eventually asked, and Ling looked over from the spot he’d been fixated at on the wall. 

“Ohh ah, don't worry, she’s good. She’d be here right now but I’m pretty positive the doctors wanted to have a look at the damage that fucked up her arm.” He explained. “She tried to catch me when we fell while fighting Wrath… But he was still grabbing onto us. Let's just say her automail couldn’t sustain that kind of weight” Ling chuckled sheepishly. They’d all done reckless things yesterday. 

Ed looked like he was going to have a stroke just thinking about how painful the strain on her arm must have been, and Ling’s smile widened just a smidge at how funny it looked. Ed’s range of facial expressions were certainly something.

“Eughgh i don’t even want to think about it.” The older blonde said, cringing, waving his good arm dismissively. 

“You know they say they’ll have to operate on this later? To remove some of the larger chunks of metal that they can that were still there when i got my arm back.” Ed gestured to his shoulder, and lifted the bandage just slightly so that Ling could see the huge scar and bits of metal that were protruding from the skin there. It looked pretty gruesome and very, very uncomfortable.

“No offense but I absolutely did not need to see that, man.” Ling teased, and dodged a false swipe from Ed. “I don’t even know how you beat the shit out of that guy yesterday with that stuff in your arm.”

“It hurt, but eh- I was running on adrenaline. But okay okay still, how fucked up is it?” 

“Ed, I’m like positive most of the socket must have gotten removed somehow when you got it back, so there’s not even that much metal deep in there to remove!” Al began. “You’re gonna be fine if you don’t move around a lot before the surgery, so quit fooling around!”

“Al are you always gonna nag me when I try to brag about this?”

“Winry definitely wouldn’t approve of you bragging.” Al deadpanned, and Ling smirked at that. 

“He’s right you know, and she’s definitely gonna come up here and be so sad she’s lost your arm as a paying customer! You had such a record at breaking that thing, I’m sure you were pretty much their whole income.” At this point, Ed was grimacing, but Ling could tell he was trying not to smile at the thought of seeing her again. The reality was, she would probably be overjoyed for both of the Elrics.

“Yeah yeah yeah, we get it, she’s gonna lecture me too.” Ed sighed and finally let the act drop, letting a smile across his face. 

“Oh, and that reminds me. At some point today I’ve gotta visit that bastard Colonel and the Lieutenant and see how they’re doing. Would you wanna join me Ling?” Ed asked. 

“I’d go too, but the doctors don't really want me moving, and I'm pretty sure that Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Hawkeye can’t visit us, even if they wanted to.” Alphonse added. He was right, Riza and Roy were both in other parts of the hospital and neither would be able to get around that easily. Ling nodded. He didn’t know the two of them that well, but a part of him knew that Edward probably didn’t want to be alone. It would only be for a little while, but he knew how horrible it felt. After all, that was why he himself had sought them out, wasn’t it?

“I wouldn’t mind, we can definitely go together.” 

“Sweet. Not yet though, I wanna just relax and catch up a little while longer before than.” Ed said, leaning back lazily against the wall. “You eaten breakfast yet?” As if on cue, Ling’s stomach growled and Ed grinned. 

“Neither have we, let’s fix that! You wouldn’t believe how much free food from this place we can get just using this-” He held up his slightly battered state alchemist’s pocket watch. “- Seriously though, that's how me and Al were actually able to room together.” Ling looked over to Al again; He looked so serene and so content for someone who must be feeling like hell. The younger Elric smiled and tucked a bit of hair behind his ear. 

“Yeah. Hah, can you believe they actually even tried to make Ed stay in a different wing?” Alphonse asked, chuckling a little. “You should have seen him, he was so angry he threatened to report the first doctor to the authorities for disrespecting a State Alchemist’s orders.” Ed rolled his eyes at that and stood up.

“Serves ‘em right.” He said stubbornly.

“When you see the nurse can you tell her i just want some fruit and oatmeal?” Al asked and Ed nodded.

“What about you, Ling?” 

“You know me, you shouldn’t have to ask by now.” Ling grinned. “Gimme whatever you got!”

“Hey, I’m treating you to free food already, so don't push my luck with the nurses patience!” Ed exclaimed. It was clear he was only faking being annoyed, though. This was one of the first times the boys got to be normal after nearly a year of weird and intense encounters. 

“I’ll be back in a few minutes, so don’t go anywhere, okay?” Ed ruffled Al’s hair gently with his good arm before heading back out of the door and into the hall.


End file.
